More than 150 winemakers from all over Greece will be presenting over 1,500 wines to the general public at the prestigious Zappeion Megaron Hall, next to the Athens National Gardens.

This is a unique opportunity to discover Greek wine like never before. Come and taste the new generation of fine Greek wines that are surprising international wine critics and are winning awards worldwide. Come and meet the vintners themselves and let them explain to you the nuances of agiorgitico, xinomavro, assyrtico and moschofilero, some of Greece's bewitching native grape varieties. Discover the heady reds from sourthern Greece, the aromatic whites from Macedonia and the famous sweet wines of the Aegean. Surprise yourself with the new generation of retsina that is making heads turn and end your visit with a few shots of tsipouro, Greece’s smooth, crystal clear eau-de-vie.

Opening Hours:
Friday February 20 2009: 14:00-22:00
Saturday February 21 2009:12:00-20:00
Sunday February 22 2009: 12:00-20:00Entry to Dionyssia costs only 15 euros. Your entry ticket includes:

* A permanent entry badge for the duration of the event
* A Greek/English catalogue with all of the exhibition’s wines
* A Spiegelau wine glass keepsake for your tastings, with Dionysia’s logo.

Venue:
Zappeion Megaron,
Athens National Gardens
Metro station: Syntagma

Strictly no smoking in the exhibition area. Children under 18 allowed (with free entrance), but will not be served without parent supervision. Cloakroom available (0,50 €).


VENUE
Dionysia is hosted at the Zappeion Megaron, one of Athens’ prime examples of neoclassical architecture. The 1821 Greek War of Independence, which lasted almost eight years, led to the creation of the modern, independent state of Greece. Its Christian-Orthodox inhabitants strove to separate themselves from over 400 years of occupation by the Ottoman Empire and to build on elements of language and history harking back to Ancient Greece.

In the 1850's, when the issue of reviving ancient ceremonies and contests was being discussed in Greece, Evangelis Zappas, a native of the Greek province of Epiros, was living in Romania where he had made his fortune. He began to consider how such institutions could be revived, and even proposed that they be called 'Olympic'.

It was the poet Panagiotis Soutsos, founder of modern Greek Olympic ideals and the man responsible for inspiring Zappas, who essentially introduced the concept of establishing parallel cultural activities and exhibitions modeled on the first world's fair in London (1851). Zappas drafted a memorandum proposing that a new institution be established that would help Greece keep pace with the industrial revolution. The memorandum was sent early in 1856 setting forth the proposal that the contests be organized in Athens on March 25th,1857.

Zappas would bear the cost of this event, as well as that of constructing an Olympic building to house an exhibition of samples of Greek art and industry. The building would also function as a museum displaying antiquities. To expedite this plan, he immediately sent 2000 Austrian florins to cover the costs of the First Olympia, which was also called the First Zappeian Olympiad.

Zappeion Megaron underwent extensive renovation prior to the Athens Summer Olympic Games in 2004 and was used as a Press Center by the Greek government during the games.

Dionysia was the first exhibition to use the newly renovated halls as a forum for Greek wines paying tribute to Evangelis Zappas’ dream of promoting Greek agricultural produce in the exhibition hall bearing his name.